Successful Reese’s Senior Bowl in Alabama a prelude to upcoming NFL draft
The NFL Draft kicked off in Mobile with The Senior Bowl. (Allanah Taylor / Alabama News Center).
Community service is also a part of the Senior Bowl tradition.
The NFL Scouting Combine is coming up in just a few days, followed soon by the NFL Draft. But it was in Mobile, Alabama, that the pro scouts got some early, close looks at some of this year’s potential draft prospects.
The annual Reese’s Senior Bowl, broadcast Feb. 3 on the NFL Network, capped a week of festivities in the Port City ahead of April’s NFL Draft. More than 120 college seniors from across the country made up this year’s two teams, the Nationals and Americans, coached by NFL staff, including Jeff Ulbrich, Shea Tierney and Terrell Williams.
It is the preeminent college football all-star game, signaling the beginning of the NFL Draft process. This year was the 75th anniversary for the Senior Bowl, which was first played in 1950.
A key player making waves during the week’s events was Ladd McConkey, wide receiver from the University of Georgia. Not only is McConkey a top prospect for the upcoming draft, but he also had a big impact on his community during his time as a Georgia Bulldog.
Alabama Power formed a partnership with the Senior Bowl years ago to identify an outstanding player and servant to receive a special Community Service Award.
“Alabama Power is proud to be a part of the Community Service Award,” said Patrick Murphy, vice president of the company’s Mobile Division. “It is one of the foundational pillars of our company: to give back to the communities that we serve. So, to have an opportunity to show somebody appreciation for what they have done in their community, and to have them in Mobile … is a great honor for us.”
While there’s always lots of buzz about the quality of the athletes who come to play in the Senior Bowl, and their prospects for the draft, the event is about much more than football, as the Community Service Award suggests.
As a nonprofit organization, the Reese’s Senior Bowl has consistently given back to the Mobile community. Not including this year’s numbers, since arriving in Mobile in 1951 the Senior Bowl has donated $7.8 million to youth-related charities along the Gulf Coast, including the Child Advocacy Center, Special Olympics and the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama, while also maintaining a longstanding tradition of giving back through its annual charity run.
Here’s a look at some photo highlights from this year’s Senior Bowl:
To learn more about the Reese’s Senior Bowl, visit seniorbowl.com.
